There She Is
by surely-0
Summary: Charlie has had a hard time for a while. When his dream girl becomes what seems to be his, trouble shortly follows.
1. Chapter 1

There she is. Ugh. God can be so cruel sometimes.

It could be considered slightly creepy that I've adjusted my schedule here to match hers at the coffee shop across the street. I just consider it assisting fate. Just opening a few more opportunities for a happy ending to my sorrowful life.

I'm not a creepy stalker who just watches her through the window everyday without her even knowing I exist. I'm not that dude. She knows me. We're friends actually. She takes her lunch breaks over here. We sit in the break room here in the store. Rarely do I eat rather than sit and watch and listen. She tells me all sorts of stuff about her family and her best friend who doesn't appreciate her, her dog who hates her, her skin being too dry, her wishing her teeth were whiter, her wishing she had an honest guy in her life, besides me of course.

And after she's done talking she hugs me and says over my shoulder, "Thanks Charlie, you're such a great friend." and walks away. I stand there watching Christa's perfect figure move gracefully through the store, out the door, and across the street. This is what I look forward to every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. The reason I continue living each day. Okay, her and Reese's.

I have about an hour before any real customers come in so I walk around the store making sure everything looks okay. Nothing is ever not okay, but I have to kill time somehow.

I walk over to the store's main record player and start blasting some music. I go to the break room and put on a pot of coffee. I walk back to the counter only to find Zach the ninja has managed to sneak in behind it. He's reading some book, more than likely Star Wars.

"Does the music always have to be so loud?" says Zach without lifting his eyes from his reading.

"If you have to ask that question, you don't belong in this store. I **will **kick you out." I wouldn't. Zach is too sensitive.

"Where's my future wife at?" He now raises his eyes to scan the store. Let me describe Zach for you. At this moment in time he is wearing a bright purple vest. He wears it every, single day. His black rimmed glasses are too big for his face and consequently cling to the tip of his nose. His jet black hair is always sleeked back into a retro 50's style. He's hopelessly in love with Kelsi, the obnoxious brunette my boss forced me to hire here. She's kind of cute. If you think those crazy melodramatic artsy girls are cute. She just knows how to get under my skin so she does it at every opportunity. I'll let Zach have at her.

"She's late Zach, she's always late." At that we hear the door swing open dramatically. (because thats how she does things)

"I'm not late am I?" she brushes passed us to punch her time card.

"Only 20 minutes dear. Better than yesterday." Zach tells me it's the subtle terms of endearment that will get her to love him. She walks up to him and punches him in the arm.

"Love you too Kelsi." He tries.

Kelsi leans over to fix her shoelaces and her ponytail falls over her head to expose a small star tattoo on her neck behind her ear. Zach notices it too.

"Kelsi! When did you taint your flesh with that ink!" Zach is touching her shoulder but she brushes his hand away.

"Over the weekend. Do you like it?" She turns her head to show me.

"Eh, its alright." It was probably the coolest thing she had ever done.

"If its on your skin I love it." Zach grins and Kelsi rolls her green eyes.

Kelsi walks over to the record player to put on something else. "You don't want to be late for work right Zach?" Zach works at a pet shop across town but comes to the record store every morning to see his future wife, if only for a few minutes.

"Yes, I guess I'll be going. But just so you know Kelsi, I'm free every night this week and my number is still in your phone! Later guys." He walks out and Kelsi takes her phone out of her pocket.

"Zach Petruchio...delete." She sighs and puts her phone back in her pocket.

"You do know I can just schedule you to come in an hour later so you don't have to deal with him right?"

"He'd figure it out soon enough."

"Why don't you give the guy a chance anyway? I mean he's a good guy. Is it the vest? If it's the vest then yeah, never mind, there really is no hope for the dude."

"It's not the vest." At that she smiles mysteriously and slips away into the break room.

A couple customers walk in and start wandering around the store. A good opportunity to change up the music.

As I reach for another record Christa storms into the store calling my name.

For Real.

"Christa whats wrong?"

"Break room...now!" As much as I want this to be the moment she realizes she wants me and confesses her undying love for me, I can't help but sense something is wrong.

Kelsi's eyes get real wide as Christa storms into the break room. I let her know there are customers out front so she takes her enormous mug of coffee and quietly sneaks out of our way.

Christa is wearing her uniform, complete with apron. She basically falls into a chair and folds her arms on the table. She looks up at me then buries her head in her arms. I am so scared she's gonna start crying.

"Christa, are you alright?" stupid question, obviously she isn't. She looks up at me with her blue eyes lined with tears and her blonde hair framing her face.

"Charlie, do you remember when you told me about your mom?" I have no idea where this is going. My mom shot herself 6 months, 2 weeks, 3 days ago in the bathroom at our apartment. Why this is at all relevant, I haven't the slightest idea.

"Of course Christa."

"That's so sweet. You totally trust me with stuff like that. Charlie, you're so... so great to me."

"What is this about?"

"Billy broke up with me Charlie." Oh yeah, I forgot to mention him. I tend to block him out of my mind when thinking of Christa. "I can't believe it! He just doesn't care about me. Not like you do Charlie."

She's standing now. She starts walking towards me. "I don't know why I didn't see it before. I mean, you're cute, smart, funny, your art is amazing, your music is great. I like everything about you Charlie." She wraps her arms tightly around me and rests her head on my chest. I have dreamt of this moment about a million and two times. I can't think of anything to say so I just hold her for a while until it's obvious that we have life to get back to.

"I should get over to the shop. I'll be back for lunch. Thank you so much Charlie." And with that her beautiful rosy pink lips touch mine for four whole seconds before she grins and walks out of the room.

What just happened...


	2. Chapter 2

Christa and I basically made out in my car for out entire lunch break. It was better than I could have ever imagined. I've waited so long for this and its finally happening. She's becoming mine. Of course as we are closing the store Kelsi has to burst my bubble.

"She just needs a make out buddy in her time of need."

"Oh whatever Kelsi. Me and Christa have been close for a while now. We've been eating lunch together everyday for months, you know that! This didn't just pop out of thin air."

"Alrighty Charles. By the way, you're taking me home." Kelsi is grinning like a crazy person.

"No way. I don't think I can handle much more of you." I grab my keys and begin walking towards the door. Kelsi runs as fast as she can and jumps between me and the door. Arms and legs spread.

"Charles, I can't walk home in this freezing weather. It's not like it's that far. I just forgot my jacket. Please..." She's even pouting.

"Fine, but you owe me!" She follows me to my car parked in the lot behind the store. She whines and carried on until I open her door. Sue me for not having power locks. Kelsi is wearing a brown mini skirt with fishnet stockings and converse. Her shirt is real flowy like. She's carrying a big messenger bag over her shoulder across her chest. She has pretty long hair. It looks different everyday. Somedays it is straight, others it is wavy, most days it is brown, but sometimes she wears a bright blue wig. Looking at her now with her pony tail and straight cut bangs resting just above her eyes, there is a smidge of cuteness I've never noticed.

It doesn't take long before she starts in with the rambling.

"So you really think she likes you?"

"Kelsi, I'm not so sure you have all the facts here. I don't think you can be talking to me about this."

"Charles, I just asked a question."

"Here's a question, why do you call me Charles? Even my mom didn't call me that."

"Well someone has to! So you really think Christa likes you?"

"Yes! Yes I do."

"What makes you think that?"

"She said I was cute and funny and she kissed me! She really gets me."

"Ooooh! She gets you...I see. So, like, she gets how you pop your knuckles when your nervous, or how you only eat your reese's whole, or that you like your coffee with sugar no cream, or that you hum the Beatles song "In my life" when you think of your mom, that your art is constantly influenced by her, but you'd never say that out loud, or maybe how you sometimes feel like Zach is a better person than you for not caring about what others think...here's my stop Charles...I'm really glad Christa gets you like that. Thanks for the ride." As she gets out of the car I notice her jacket shoved into her purse.


	3. Chapter 3

Probably one of the most surreal days ever.I get home and I'm greeted by mom's cat, Pemberly, I say greeted, but he just sat by his food bowl and meowed when I opened the door.I cook up a delicious vegetarian dinner, not because I'm vegetarian, but vegetarian food just tastes next thing I know my phone is buzzing in my hand as I lay on my couch, Pemberly sleeping on my chest.I clear my throat and answer Zach's phone call."Hey, why aren't you here at the store!"Figure4s it's be someone who doesn't work there calling to remind me to open. Thank goodness Zach shows up early."It's kinda cold outside, so you could hurry it up a bit if you'd like!""Alright, I'm coming." I stretch and yawn and quickly get up off the couch.I trudge to the bathroom and glare at myself in the mirror. My hair is...screw it.I brushed my teeth, washed my face and grabbed a clean reasons unbeknownst to me I text Kelsi just asking her if she needs a ride. Zach said it was cold and even if she is wearing a jacket I would think she might appreciate a lift. And the way she was talking yesterday it just seems like a good said no.I feel kinda a small part of me is is weird.I get to the store to find Kelsi and Zach making snow angels in the lightly sprinkled dust in the middle of the street."Hey! We need help getting up so we don't ruin our angels!" Kelsi's nose is bright red.I walk over and assist them. The angels so look kinda good. It'll only be a matter of minutes before a car will pass by and wipe them away.I follow Kelsi into the store as Zach runs off to get to his own place of employment. Kelsi stomps the snow off her high heel leather booths all the way to the break room. She's got a long black button down jacket that you see women in New York wear as they hold their Starbucks in one hand and hail a cab with the other. Her hair is brown and straight today. She has it half up and the ends are curled. I follow her into the break room to find out what is underneath the stands at the coffee pot pouring water into the coffee maker. I feel like she's moving in slow 's wearing a very for fitting mid-thigh length dress. Its a solid dark blue and it fits so snug. She's wearing purple leggings underneath. I've never realized how fit she is. I can see the toned muscles in her stomach. At this point its becoming quite obvious that I'm staring. I look up and see that she's looking me straight in the eyes. "I'm going out with Zach after work. So I dressed up a tad." She's done her makeup real nice too. Her eyes are sparkling."Oh...I see." I look down ashamed that she caught me staring. "Wait a second...You're going out with Zach? And dressing up all sexy for it?" I look at her accusingly."We're going to a really nice restaurant with some friends. But nice to know you think I'm sexy." She grinned and laughed and walked away."No...I...but..." This girl is ridiculous. I can't believe I wasted my time checking her out. Zach can have 's lunch time. Christa is sitting across from me eating her sandwich listening to me retell what had happened with Kelsi in my car. I'm leaving out some details but still strongly conveying Kelsi's irritating behavior. I'm finishing the story when Christa places her hand on mine to stop me from talking. It works. She gets up and walks around to my side of the table and sits in my lap. She places her hand on the back of my neck and looks into my eyes. There's no real feeling within them, but they sure are sexy. She leans in and starts kissing me. Her tongue finds mine and they play. I place my hands on her waist and pull her tighter as things heat up. She runs her fingers through my dark wavy hair. I wanna pick her up and lay her on the table and continue this much much further, but someone decides to barge through the break room door. "You're breathing awfully heavy. The customers might hear. Oh and Charles, where did you put those green headphones?"She just stands there waiting for an answer. Like I'm going to say anything!Christa jumps of my lap, grabs her purse and walks out of the break room. I look at Kelsi in such disbelief. She just grins and walks away. Seriously?Oh, hi happiness! So glad you've found Charles, but I'm going to have to rip you away from him and torture him ok? Thanks! Love KelsiAt the end of the day I'm exhausted. I'm pretty sure Christa's pissed. Kelsi is blissfully aware of that and all I want to do is go home to Pemberly and get away from this , but there she is. Kelsi is shivering outside, clearly waiting for someone who is, by the looks of it, not coming."Thought you were going out""Plans changed." She's glancing at her phone more frequently than she's blinking."Who are you waiting for?" I can tell she's pissed. I'm starting to feel a little sorry for her."Uh, no one." I look at her and she tells me with her eyes that he was important and he didn't show and now she's standing here all pretty for nothing."Can I give you a ride?""No I'll be fine.""Come on."She lingers a bit, but finally realizes she'd be an idiot for staying out in the cold.I pull up to her place and watch as Kelsi tries to move quickly as if to dodge the cold. I see her knock, which I find odd. The door opens and the woman on the warm side says some thing and shuts the door again. Kelsi just stands there for a while. I wonder what that was about. I roll down my window and holler, "Kelsi, you can come to my place."


End file.
